Get Outta Town: More Great Trails to Explore North of Decorah

This is the second in a series of articles that serves as a tribute and tutorial of the amazing hiking, biking, and walking trails in the Driftless Area, a region in the Midwest lacking “glacial drift.” By escaping the glacier’s path in the most recent Ice Age, the Driftless Area was not flattened out like much of the Midwest. Thus, the trails and scenery are supreme.

The time is better than ever: the weather is inviting and the rugged Driftless Area landscape offers much more beyond the city limits of Decorah. I hope you got a chance to check out a couple, or all, of the tremendous trails accessible in Decorah that I highlighted in the May issue of Inspire(d). Isn’t this town packed with great get-away spots right out our backdoors?

This month my focus has moved north of Decorah a bit to thoroughly explored two phenomenal areas that I insist you take an afternoon, an evening or a Saturday to tromp around. You will leave tuckered out and energized all at once as these prime wilderness spots offer a variety of terrain and way more beauty than Iowa is stereotypically deemed to have. Enjoy.

Pine Bluff 4-H Camp:

This densely forested area chock full of Black Oak and Basswood, White Ash and Hackberry isn’t just for 4-H campers. An easy 15-minute drive from Decorah promises lush landscape, a very cool swinging bridge rebuilt in 1994 after a flood and a supposed magic tree. Although I never came across this “magic tree,” I was in awe of the mixed woodlands that the rolling trail traveled through. Next to the swinging bridge, my favorite part of the 115 acres is the thick groves of White Pines that will surely leave you feeling like a five year old on a playground. Bring a good book or a picnic lunch as friendly wooden benches line parts of the trail. To get to this little refuge, take a left of Hwy 9 on to Trout Run Road, a right on River Road and head toward the Oneota Country Club through Freeport. After driving a little bit and crossing three bridges, you will see the entrance to Pine Bluff on the right side of the road.

An amazing area of Iowa DNR land, Coon Creek could suck you in for days. I have entered the space from two different points and am sure there are several other ways to tap into this hiking haven. The Coon Creek winds through an incredible rolling plot of thick forest, compressed limestone and farm patches. A thin tire-track road treks back, over and deeply into this countryside providing virtually endless access to more natural wonder. Go see for yourself:

Southwest side- left on Trout Run Road, right on River Road heading toward Oneota Country Club through Freeport. Pass by Pine Bluff 4-H Camp and go right on 143rd. After crossing a bridge, take a left on Coon Creek Road. Beware of a black and white dog that likes to chase cars. Soon enough you’ll notice a small parking space on the left side of the road. If you miss this one, there is yet another parking area about a half mile up the road. Have fun.

Northern side- go north on Locust Road, take a right on Canoe Ridge Road or A38. Stay on Canoe Ridge and you’ll pass two white churches, Canoe German Methodist and Canoe Ridge Lutheran. After the second church, veer left on Lundy Bridge Road. Take this road for a bit and you’ll start heading down into a valley. Stay right on Lundy Bridge Road until you reach a rusty, one lane bridge. Cross the bridge and park. The trail begins on a small path above the bridge. And have fun… you’re outta town!

Lauren Kraus loves her family and friends, is stoked about the transition into warmer weather, and was most definitely a mountain goat in a previous life. This is evidenced by her need for climbing steep surfaces and maybe a correlation to her frequent cravings for chèvre. Goats don’t ride bicycles though.